Angelus Hut booking season extended to long weekends

Introduction

Angelus Hut in Nelson Lakes National Park will now require bookings for Labour weekend and Queen's Birthday weekend (Friday to Sunday nights). Currently, bookings are required during the peak season which runs from late November to 30 April.

The change is in response to a huge increase in visitor numbers at the Angelus Hut over these long weekends in recent years. Reports of up to 52 people crammed into the 28-bunk hut prompted the Rotoiti/Nelson Lakes Office to extend the booking system to cover the two holiday weekends from October 2017.

John Wotherspoon, Operation Manager, said, “Trampers are keen to get into the hills after a long winter. Visitors must be aware that in alpine areas winter conditions can prevail well into November. It's likely there will still be snow at Angelus Hut and on the various routes leading to the hut. DOC can provide a safer and more enjoyable visitor experience with the booking system in place as visitors are assured of an allocated space in the hut or campsite.”

Labour weekend is the fourth Monday in October and the weekend before.

Queen's Birthday weekend is the first Monday in June and the weekend before.